What You Could Gain From a Breast Lift in Lubbock

When people think about plastic surgery for breast enhancement, the most common thing they think of is breast augmentation. This is understandable, as breast enlargements are one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures in the U.S. If you are happy with the amount of natural breast tissue that you have, but are less happy with the shape, asymmetry, or overall lack of perkiness, a better option may be a mastopexy, or a breast lift. In Lubbock, Dr. Jane Rowley offers this plastic surgery procedure to women looking for a breast lift to restore their youthful shape in a way that is still all you.

Changing Trends

While breast implants are popular, breast lift procedures are also on the rise. Since 2000, breast lifts have seen an increase in frequency of 108%, outpacing the increase in breast implants by more than double. This may reflect the parallel trend that women getting breast implants are choosing smaller, more natural-looking sizes . The numbers indicate that more women are generally satisfied with their breast size, and are simply looking to restore the perky fullness that they may have enjoyed when they were younger. Today’s woman wants to achieve her ideal image in a way that looks and feels natural, and a breast lift can be the perfect way to do that.   

What is a Breast Lift?

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, a mastopexy is a procedure that “raises the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to reshape and support the new breast contour.” In other words, your plastic surgeon will lift your breasts by getting rid of the extra weight that makes them sag. As part of the procedure, the areola and nipple are also repositioned. It’s typically an outpatient surgery, taking about 90 minutes to two hours, and it is performed under general anesthetic. A breast lift can be performed in an office operating suite, surgical center, or hospital. The procedure transforms a droopy, sagging chest into breasts that look perky and rejuvenated. Watch the video below for Dr. Rowley’s thorough explanation of the procedure.

Why Consider a Breast Lift in Lubbock?

As women age, breasts will naturally begin to change, losing their youthful look and feel. These changes can be hard to accept, especially when there is nothing you can do on your own to stop them. Breasts that have lost shape and volume can make it challenging to find flattering clothes and bras that fit well; but more importantly, they can damage your self-esteem and confidence. If the appearance of your breasts bothers you, plastic surgery may be the best way to regain a positive body image. Unwanted changes in the breasts are often caused by:

  • Pregnancy
  • Breastfeeding
  • Weight loss
  • Aging
  • Genetics
  • Gravity

While some of these factors only affect some women, no one is exempt from all of them. Aging and gravity take their toll on each and every one of us. And the fact is that your breasts can’t keep their youthful appearance forever, no matter how much you exercise and eat right. Feeling confident in their appearance is something all women deserve, and a breast lift can help by revitalizing your breasts and lifting your spirits.  

Breast Lift Candidates

If you feel unhappy with the way your breasts look, you’re not alone. Many women share the same dissatisfaction that comes with watching their breasts gradually change, knowing they cannot do anything about it. Breast lift candidates should be in good physical health, have realistic expectations for the procedure, and should not smoke. Women who meet these criteria and have the following aesthetic concerns may be potential candidates for a breast lift in Lubbock:

  • Stretched skin and enlarged areolas
  • Droopy or saggy breasts
  • Breasts with a flatter, elongated shape
  • Pronounced stretch marks
  • Nipples that point down 
  • Nipples that fall below the breast crease when unsupported
  • Asymmetry between breasts

Not every woman who is unhappy with her breasts will be a candidate for a breast lift. For example, if you may become pregnant or wish to breastfeed in the future, it would be best to wait until after those events to pursue breast surgery. Talk to your doctor to find out if now is the right time for your breast lift plastic surgery.  

Still wondering whether a breast lift is right for you? Watch this video for more information on mastopexy and tips on how to know if you are a good candidate.

Remember, a breast lift will not change the overall size of your breasts, but It does enhance their shape and projection. If you want larger or smaller breasts, then you should consider a breast augmentation or breast reduction. Each of these procedures can be done in addition to a breast lift for more dramatic results. One of the great things about cosmetic surgery is that you are in charge, and you get to choose what you want for your body. A qualified, experienced plastic surgeon like Dr. Jane Rowley can help you decide which type of procedure will help you meet your cosmetic goals. 

Some Things You Should Know

If you want to have breast implants in conjunction with your lift, it is important to be careful when you choose your implant size. Implants that are too large will add weight to breasts that may already struggle to support existing tissue and skin, causing them to sag even more. However, with the right sized implant and an experienced plastic surgeon, you can have the best of both worlds by lifting your breasts and adding volume at the same time.   

On the other hand, many women who wish to decrease the size of their breasts would also benefit from a breast lift. In fact, Dr. Rowley always includes a lift as part of the breast reduction procedure she performs on her patients. She advises these patients to have realistic expectations for their surgical outcome. Dr. Rowley explains:

“Unfortunately, many patients who come in seeking a mastopexy expect their breasts will look as if they never had big breasts to start with. In other words, they hope to look like a small-breasted person who has had implants. However, once you have had breast tissue followed by a volume loss, it is very difficult to make breasts look like someone who was never big-breasted to start with. It is very important that patients have a realistic view of this procedure.”

Dr. Rowley has more than 20 years of experience with mastopexy, and is always candid with her patients about what they can achieve with plastic surgery. She encourages women to be open about their concerns and to communicate their breast lift goals clearly. If you have large breasts prior to your breast lift, talk to your surgeon about what a realistic outcome might look like for you. 

What Do You Need to Do Before You Get a Mastopexy?

There are a few main things to consider when answering this question. First, make sure you are physically prepared for your procedure. If you smoke, you simply must quit. If you cannot quit permanently, then you must at least abstain for several weeks to prepare for the surgery and for several weeks after to aid in your recovery. Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood, which reduces your body’s ability to fight off infection. Nicotine also directly impacts the blood flow to the tissues. In addition, you should be able to maintain a stable weight for some time. For more information about preparing for a breast lift in Lubbock, see our post about “Making the Most of Your Lubbock Plastic Surgery Experience.” 

Second, closely consult with your plastic surgeon. During your consultation appointments, you have the opportunity to discuss your goals for this procedure: why you are considering the surgery, and what you hope to get out of it. Do your best to convey your thoughts clearly, because effective communication is key to getting the results you want. Your plastic surgeon can help you develop an accurate expectation of what the outcome of the procedure will likely be. Everyone wants to look like a supermodel, but everyone’s body is different. The same procedure, and even the same size and type of implant will look different on every patient’s body. Your surgeon will also want to have a detailed discussion about your medical history to reduce the possibility of complications. You will also have the opportunity to ask any questions you have. If you’re not sure what to ask, here is a helpful list of questions you should consider.

Third, your plastic surgeon will likely request a full lab test to make sure there are no conditions you are not aware of before the procedure. Also, it is recommended that you get a baseline mammogram that will be compared to a second one after your procedure, to see if there is anything your doctor should be aware of in your breast tissue.

Preparing for Mastopexy

A breast lift is major surgery, which means you will need to plan ahead so your recovery can go as smoothly as possible. Being underprepared can make the healing process longer and more difficult. Below are some ideas you might find helpful when making your mastopexy recovery plans.

  • Find someone to drive you to and from your surgery, and to stay with you for at least the first night 
  • Arrange for child care and pet care for at least the first week 
  • Fill post-surgical prescriptions, including pain medication 
  • Schedule a baseline mammogram for your doctor’s reference
  • Adjust your medications according to your doctor’s instructions
  • Stop the use of all products containing nicotine

Breast Lift Recovery

Taking care of yourself during the recovery period is one key to getting the results you want from your breast lift in Lubbock. By following your plastic surgeon’s instructions carefully, you will have the best chance at a successful recovery. Be patient with your body as it works to heal. If you jump back into your normal routine too quickly, your health and your results could suffer. Take it slow, and don’t hesitate to let others help you during this time. Although everyone’s healing timeline is unique, most patients can expect to take about 5 to 10 days off work and 4 to 6 weeks for a complete recovery and return to full activity.

Mastopexy and Scarring

All surgeries leave scars, and breast lifts are no different. Your plastic surgeon will need to make incisions on your breasts to achieve the desired tightening and lifting. An incision made around the areola can minimize the amount of scarring, but some patients may have more scarring depending on how much skin needs to be removed. With proper care, scars will fade and diminish over time. And, your breast lift scars can be easily hidden beneath a swimsuit. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about plastic surgery scars.  

Women with Breast Lifts are Very Happy with their Results

According to RealSelf, 95% of women say that their mastopexy was “worth it.” In a sample review of the procedure, one woman wrote: 

“I am a 20-year-old who underwent a breast lift procedure due to a lot of sagginess that inhibited me from feeling comfortable and also hindering what I could and could not wear. After losing weight from my chest after having a large bust, they began to droop. My areola area was very large and my right breast was larger and hung lower than my left breast. . . It has now only been two weeks’ post operation and I am comfortable to move around, pain free, and my breasts look 100 times better than what they did, which I am so grateful for.”

A breast lift in Lubbock can have a similar positive effect on your self-image and give you more confidence when your breasts are given back their youthful look. Dr. Jane Rowley and her staff are committed to helping you become your best self by giving you the body you can truly appreciate and enjoy. Call us today for a no-obligation consultation.

Finding the Perfect Fit with Breast Augmentation in Lubbock

If you’re considering breast augmentation (also known as breast enhancement, breast enlargement, breast implants, or a “boob job”), you’re not alone. Breast augmentation has been the most popular plastic surgery in recent years, and continues to grow in popularity. But the decision to get breast augmentation in Lubbock, or anywhere, is not an easy one. First, you have to be sure that you really want it, and, second, you have to decide how you want to do it. Here are some things to think about as you consider whether to get a breast enhancement and which type of implant is best for you.

Why Do You Want Breast Enhancement?

If you want breast implants, you have to be sure that you are getting them for you, and not for anyone else – not even your partner. It’s your body and you have to live (literally!) with the results. You must be sure that you will like what you see and feel comfortable when you look in the mirror each day. Even if your results turn out great, taking such drastic measures to please someone else could lead to resentment and dissatisfaction. On the flipside, if you pursue plastic surgery to fulfill your own goals rather than someone else’s, it can lead you to feel empowered and confident.  

In addition to assessing your motivation for having plastic surgery, you need to make sure you have realistic expectations for the outcome of your breast augmentation in Lubbock. Hoping that it will make people like you better, or that it can make you look just like your favorite celebrity can lead to disappointment in the end. Remember that plastic surgery cannot fix your personal problems and it won’t change who you are at the core. It can help boost your confidence and put some pep in your step, but the rest is up to you. 

If you want to increase the volume of your breasts because their size is something that has always bothered you, to fix asymmetry, or simply to look better in a bikini, you may be a good candidate for breast augmentation. Your doctor can help you decide if you have the right motivations for having plastic surgery.  

Is There a “Right” Size for Breast Augmentation?

The decision on breast implant size is a very personal one that is tied closely to your reasons for wanting the surgery in the first place. Some women have a naturally small bust line and may wish for a curvier or more traditionally feminine figure. Other women may have an asymmetry that’s always bothered them and that they wish to correct. Some women may have lost breast tissue from breastfeeding, or may wish to counteract the effects of aging and gravity. But, no matter what your reason is for wanting the procedure, the size you choose will impact how dramatic of a change you achieve.

There is no right or wrong answer to the size question, but choosing a breast implant size that doesn’t feel perfect can lead to more surgery down the line. Many breast augmentation revision surgeries are performed because the patient desires a change in implant size. In a 2019 study, 41 percent of women who had breast enlargement revision surgery did so because they wanted to change the size of their implants. 38 percent of the study participants chose larger breast implants for their revision surgery. Modern trends have many patients opting for smaller, more natural looking breast enhancement results. However, if that’s not the look you want, do not shy away from saying so. Whether they are large or small, breast implants can enhance your feminine beauty and increase your confidence.

It can be hard to visualize how your breasts will look and feel after breast augmentation in Lubbock. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could try on different sizes, just like when you are shopping for clothes? With a little rice and some imagination, you can do the next best thing. Making your own rice breast implant sizers is easy – and it’s a helpful way to get a good idea of how your new implants will feel. To make them, just cut the feet out of some nylon pantyhose, fill them with rice, and tie them off at the top. Here’s how much rice to use:

  • ¼ cup rice for 75 cc
  • ½ cup rice for 125 cc
  • 1 cup rice for 250 cc

The rice will form to the shape of your breasts as you situate the sizers inside your bra. Wear them around the house for a bit to see how the extra weight feels and to get some insight into what life would be like with larger breasts. You may discover that you would prefer to choose a size smaller or larger than you originally thought! Keep in mind that the rice method is not an exact science, and it is important to discuss your questions and concerns about breast augmentation in Lubbock with a qualified plastic surgeon. 

Understanding the Differences Between Implant Types

The type of breast implant you select will have a significant impact on the outcome of your procedure. The decision should be made only after thorough research on your own and a candid discussion with your plastic surgeon. Presently, there are three types of breast implants. Each kind has its unique advantages, and depending on your priorities and preferences, one may be more suited to you than another. All breast implants have an outer shell made of silicone; however, their names refer to what’s inside the silicone shell.

  1. Saline. Saline is sterilized salt water. These implants consist of a silicone shell filled with saline. Depending on which implant brand you choose, they may come either pre-filled (requiring a larger incision) or empty, in which case they can be folded and inserted through a smaller incision. If a saline implant leaks (called a “rupture”), the saline is safely absorbed into your body, and the rupture is immediately apparent by simple observation of the breast. That’s why women feel comfortable choosing saline implants for breast augmentation in Lubbock – they do not have to worry about silent rupture. The downside is that saline breast implants often move and feel much like water balloons. While you have the peace of mind of having a natural substance inside, the saline generally doesn’t move or feel like natural breast tissue. The implant can fold, causing an unappealing rippling or wrinkling effect.
  2. Silicone gel. Silicone gel implants look and feel more like natural breast tissue. They come prefilled, so they require a larger incision. However, there are things about silicone gel ruptures that make many women uncomfortable with these implant types. Because of the thickness of silicone gel, when there is a rupture, the gel is a foreign substance that requires another surgery to remove, and is not safely absorbed by the body like saline. And because you cannot detect a rupture by looking at the breast, this scenario is known as a “silent rupture,” meaning it requires an MRI (which is typically not covered by insurance) to detect. In fact, the FDA recommends MRIs every 2-3 years for women with silicone gel implants to make sure the implant is intact. This is something that many women are not aware of.
  3. IDEAL IMPLANT® Structured Breast Implants. The IDEAL IMPLANT combines the safety of saline with the natural look and feel of silicone gel. It’s the only breast implant of its kind and was developed by a plastic surgeon in response to women’s concerns about silent rupture. Now, breast augmentation with IDEAL IMPLANT can give you the benefits of saline and silicone gel without the drawbacks of either. The IDEAL IMPLANT is saline-filled, however, the saline is contained within nested shells and separate chambers. This unique design controls the movement of the saline, giving it an appearance and softness that is similar to a silicone gel implant. Also, because of these separate chambers, and because IDEAL IMPLANTS are never pre-filled, a surgeon can adjust the saline levels to achieve the optimal results. Plus, IDEAL IMPLANTS are only available to board-certified plastic surgeons, for greater peace of mind. For breast augmentation in Lubbock, Dr. Jane Rowley is one of the exclusive plastic surgeons offering the IDEAL IMPLANT. As an IDEAL IMPLANT premier surgeon, she is one of the most experienced plastic surgeons in the nation to use this new technology. Learn more about the advantages of the IDEAL IMPLANT over other implant types in this video:

Beyond the inner contents of a breast implant, they may also vary by shape (round or anatomical, also known as teardrop) and texture (smooth or textured). An article posted on the American Academy of Plastic Surgeons blog describes these different qualities: 

“Round implants give a full look to the upper pole of the breast and can potentially rotate in the envelope – though such a shift shouldn’t be visible. Anatomical implants (named because they resemble the natural teardrop-shaped slope of the breast) have a tapered top, so the fullness is more emphasized on the bottom pole of the breast. If these shift, however, the visible change can be more pronounced.

“The silicone shell itself may also be textured or smooth. A smooth implant is freer to subtly move in its pocket, which some women feel better mimics natural breast tissue. Textured implants more firmly anchor themselves once inserted, making it more difficult for them to rotate.”  However, as textured implants have recently been shown to have a correlation to a rare form of breast cancer, they are decreasing in use as a result.

How are Breast Implants Placed?

How the implant is inserted is largely dependent on what implant type and size you have selected, along with how much natural breast tissue you already have. These matters will be worked out during your appointments prior to your breast augmentation in Lubbock. The methods of inserting the implant include 1) where the incision is made and 2) where the implant is placed within the breast.

The most common incision locations are: 

  • Inframammary: at the base of the breast, just below the crease
  • Periareolar: on the lower border of the areola (the dark area around your nipple)
  • Transaxillary: through the armpit

As far as placement within the breast, there are also two general locations (with certain variations based on a woman’s body and consultation with her doctor). 

  • Subglandular or submammary (in front of the pectoral muscle, immediately behind the breast tissue): this used to be the standard placement of implants, however, it is less common because the implant is easier to feel, and it’s closer to the surface. It’s also not advisable for women with little or no natural breast tissue as it will generally result in a less natural result. However, there are advantages to choosing subglandular placement for breast augmentation in Lubbock. A 2015 study found that placing breast implants directly under the skin results in less blood loss during surgery and a shorter, less painful recovery. Subglandular placement is now primarily used for women who are very physically active in sports that impact the pectoral muscle, such as body-building. 
  • Submuscular (beneath the pectoral muscle): this is now the more common method of placement and generally provides a more natural result. Despite its name, with this method, the upper part of the implant is generally placed under the muscle, while the lower part may be over the muscle. Chest muscles can conceal the edges of your breast implants more effectively, giving your breasts a more natural slope. 

Get the Results you Want with Your Breast Augmentation in Lubbock

Are you considering breast augmentation in Lubbock? If so, you’re lucky to have a nationally-recognized, world-class surgeon right here in West Texas. Dr. Jane Rowley offers her patients an unmatched depth of experience with a woman’s perspective. With over two decades of practice, there is no plastic surgeon in Lubbock with more experience, training, and skill, than Dr. Rowley. She can help you navigate all of your options for breast enhancement so you can get the pair that fits your body perfectly.  Call today to schedule your no-obligation consultation.